by J. B. North
A dark look cast over his features. “Sounds suspicious to me. Makes me think the fire was started to kill the prince…or at least to give us a scare.”
That was the only thing that kept me from blaming myself. “And what about you?” I asked.
“I checked all the rooms I could before I had to get out. I only saved two more people.”
“Thank you, Grix,” I said. “If you hadn’t awoken me, the prince and Lochlan would probably be dead right now.”
He shrugged. “It’s a miracle I was conscious enough to hear the fire.”
* * * * *
Later that night—which I’m sure was actually early morning—I took out the phantom stone and studied it. Large, dirty fingerprints were still visible on the glossy surface. I wiped them away with the hem of my dress and decided it was as good a time as any to check on Kurt.
The cool chain grazed over my face as I slipped it on and was sucked from my body, back into the weightless spirit world. I appeared next to Kurt, who was lying face down in a pile of moldy hay. Through the bloody rips in his shirt, his back was covered in deep gashes. The sight sent shivers running through my translucent form.
My gaze flitted around the room. Instead of the dark dungeon, silvery moonlight lit up a hexagon-shaped cell. I assumed he was back in the north tower.
I stared at the motionless figure that was my brother. “Kurt?”
One tired, green eye flickered open.
I drifted closer. “Are you okay?”
He studied me for a moment before pushing himself up onto his elbows gingerly, wincing at the pain. “I’ve had worse.”
I bit my lip. “Did you tell them anything about me?”
His eyes darted away. “I told them that your favorite weapon was the sword.”
True. I’d never had the same bond with any other weapon. But they’d probably already known that. “That’s it?”
“No…” he sighed, his expression haggard as he studied his bloodied and mutilated fingernails. “Once I let one thing out, they increased the pain levels. If I could take it back, I would, but I said the worst thing possible. I let them get the best of me.”
“What did you say?” I asked, fear rooting itself in my mind.
His temple pulsed as he gritted his teeth. “I was desperate. I-I told them that you had immortality running through your veins. That each day you grow more and more powerful, and it won’t be long before you destroy them… They deserve it, Ivy. Do you even know what those guards have done to women and children in the dungeons?”
Chills wavered through my spirit. “But how can that information be used against me?”
“They know that I’ve been communicating with someone outside the castle. It’s only a matter of time before they figure out how.”
It took me a second to realize what he was implying. “Are you saying that we should stop communicating?”
He closed his eyes. “Yes. If they find out about the phantom stone, that puts you in danger. They’ll use it to spy on you.”
“But this is the only way I can keep track of how you’re doing,” I whispered. “How will I know if you’re alive in the future?”
“It’s better for me to die than the both of us,” he replied. I shook my head in protest, but he continued on. “As soon as you take it off and return to where you came from, you need to bury it or throw it in a river. Keep it far from you.”
My heart ached, but I managed to say, “What will happen with your pendant if they find it?”
“Hopefully, it will lead them to the middle of the forest or at the bottom of a lake. It depends on where you leave yours.” He looked at the door suspiciously. “You should go. The sorcerers may be able to sense your presence.”
I nodded. “You may be right,” I said quietly. I studied his gaunt face one last time. “Just in case something bad happens… I love you, Kurt.”
His shaded eyes sparkled with tears as he said, “I love you, too. And Ivy?”
“Yes?”
“Whatever the prophecy says, whatever you’re supposed to do…I believe in you.”
I didn’t even believe in myself, but I accepted his words with a nod. Then, I took off the necklace, and the weight of the world pressed on my shoulders once again.
I pushed myself up off the mattress and tip-toed out of my bedroom into the hall, Kurt’s words still ringing in my head. I peeked into the common room, and when I saw there was no one, I made my way to the front door. I tried my hardest to open it softly, cringing when the hinges creaked loudly.
A few heartbeats later, I slipped outside, shutting the door as quietly as possible. Out in the open, I breathed a sigh of relief, and started my trek toward the edge of town, the pendant swinging in my hand as I walked. As soon as I’d made it onto one of the little farms, I ducked through a fence and made my way through the long, swaying grass to the middle of the field. I stooped down and began digging with my hands, unearthing the rocky soil. My nails cracked and chipped, but they were already healing by the time I’d dug deep enough. I dropped the phantom stone into the shallow pit. It glinted up at me in the moonlight.
As I began to replace the dirt, I suddenly felt as if I was being watched. I looked up, scanning my surroundings, but I was completely alone. I packed the dirt down tightly and stood, retracing my steps back to the inn, where I creaked open the door and slid back into my room, seemingly undetected.
-Chapter Twelve-
The next day, I awoke to a knock on the door. I pushed my tangles back and opened it to find Prince Matthias standing there in full uniform with a bandage wrapped around his head. I blushed, imagining what a sight I was this morning.
He didn’t seem to care, his eyes warm as he said, “May I come in?” His voice was raspy, but not nearly as bad as I expected.
I stood aside. “Of course.”
Behind him, I saw the innkeeper, looking thrilled to have the prince in his home before the door was shut in his face.
“I didn’t mean to wake you,” the prince said. “I suppose I should have guessed you’d be asleep after everything that happened last night—everything I can’t remember.”
He seemed too close in the small room, so I retreated to the bed and started pulling up the covers. “It’s not a problem. But what time is it?”
“Nearly two in the afternoon,” he said as he watched me. “Anyway, I just wanted to thank you for saving me from the fire.”
I stiffened and looked up at him, hoping he wouldn’t blame me for what happened last night like Sir Lochlan had. “I just did what anyone else would do,” I said with a shrug. I smoothed the covers and turned to face him as he walked over and leaned against the bedpost.
His face was serious as he looked me in the eye. “I’m in your debt, Ivy. I hope to be able to repay you someday.”
I avoided his gaze. “There’s no need for that.”
I flinched when he took a step forward and rested both hands on my shoulders. “I will repay you,” he said, his face so close that I could see every freckle that dotted his nose.
His gaze flicked down to study my lips. When I started to take a step back, he dropped his hands and strolled to the door. “We’ll be taking the day off to bury Lukas. I’ll let you know when the hole is dug.”
“Um…thank you,” I said awkwardly as the door clicked shut. Below the door, I saw his shadow pause briefly, and then his footsteps continued on down the hallway, leaving me with my confused thoughts. I was tempted to lay back down in the bed, but hunger got the best of me.
Only Alyss and a few guards were in the common room when I came out. Alyss sat at the table, bent over a piece of paper as she scribbled on it with charcoal.
I sat down across from her, catching a glimpse of a sketched bird in an iron cage. “What are you working on?” I asked.
She looked up in surprise and covered her drawing with her hand. “Oh, nothing. I figured I would sketch while I had the time.”
“Can I see?”
She
bit her lip, but nodded and pushed the piece of paper over to me.
There was a cage, but now that I looked closely, I could see that it was old and rusted, with holes in several spots. The little door to the cage was open, and yet the little bird she’d drawn was still sitting there, content. “It’s beautiful.”
She whisked the drawing back and stared at it. She opened her mouth to say something else, but the innkeeper’s wife was already speaking from behind me.
“Would you like something to eat?”
I looked back at her, seeing that, if possible, she appeared more frazzled than she had last night. Her apron was covered in flour and her formerly pinned back hair was falling out of place.
“Yes, thank you,” I replied.
She hurried into the kitchen and came back out a minute later with plate of chicken, green beans, and a piece of bread.
Alyss went back to her sketches while I dug into the meal. The woman cleared my plate when I was done, and for the first time in a long time, I was able to relax as I watched Alyss add more details to her sketch. The guards that gathered around the fireplace talked, sometimes laughing, and for a moment, everything felt light and happy.
And then the door creaked open, and the prince stepped inside to say the two words that darkened everyone’s mood. “It’s time.”
* * * * *
The next five days after Lukas’s funeral passed by slowly. Every breath we breathed was either road dust—until we could feel the grit between our teeth—or saltwater spray. I usually got to fly whenever I felt like it and when it rained, Grix, Alyss, the prince, and I stayed in the carriage while Sir Lochlan volunteered to ride out in the downpour with the rest of the guard, claiming it didn’t bother him.
He and the guard were constantly on high alert ever since the fire, and unlike the prince, Sir Lochlan never thanked me for saving his life.
On the last day, when we finally boarded the final ship, I was relieved, but at the same time, apprehensive about meeting the king and staying in the castle. At least when we traveled, I got to fly every once in a while. Would I be trapped in a stone structure for days until I left for my quest?
As we neared land, I could see the giant castle that dwarfed the buildings and hills around it.
I stood with my elbows on the rail of the ship when Prince Matthias approached me and rested one of his hands in the rail next to me while the other pointed into the distance.
“Do you see that tower? The tallest one in the front?”
I squinted my eyes and nodded.
He dropped his hand to the rail. “My father once kept me in that tower for two weeks after I disguised myself as a villager and took a stroll through the streets. I never saw why he got so angry.”
I shrugged. “It might be dangerous for someone like you to be out there.”
He turned his back to the castle and looked down at me. "It didn't stop me from doing it again. I just made sure not to get caught."
I shook my head and smiled. "Of course you did...but why did you want to disguise yourself anyway?"
He shrugged. "I like the perks of being a prince. The food, the servants, the parties, and of course, access to the stables and the royal marina. But every once in a while, I just liked to get away from the duties and the fake smiles and the bowing and curtsying."
“Sounds like something I would do," I said, thinking of what Sir Lochlan had said days before, how I was always trying to get away.
He stared at me intently as his hand inched closer to mine on the railing. “We’re more alike than you think.”
I cringed inwardly, but pretended not to notice as I turned to Alyss and Grix. “I’d better go see if those two are ready to dock.”
I felt cowardly for retreating, but any feelings I had quickly evaporated when I realized that Alyss and Grix were holding hands, standing so close to one another that if they stepped one inch further, someone’s toes would get stepped on. As I watched, Grix leaned forward slowly, hesitantly, and kissed Alyss right on the mouth.
It would have been sweet…had I not been trying to get away from Prince Matthias for the very same reason. I fled like a rabbit, hating that I could only go as far as the other side of the ship.
In my effort to keep my eyes averted from the embracing couple, I glanced back at the prince. His mouth formed a half smile as he watched me.
Frustration clawed at my insides and I tightened my jaw. I stared at him with cold, dead eyes, hoping to convey a specific message. I’m not interested.
He never looked away. In the end, I broke eye contact.
-Chapter Thirteen-
I’d thought I would want to be one of the first ones off the ship, but looking down into the crowd below, I reconsidered. A few guards went down the plank first, and the crowd may as well have been sharks waiting to greet them. When Prince Matthias followed after them, one girl managed to grab the sleeve of his uniform, pulling him into the crowd, but Sir Lochlan, always the prince’s shadow, quickly forced her back. The prince, meanwhile, straightened his uniform and continued as if nothing had happened.
In the chaos, it was hard to tell if people were excited or angry, but with such a large assembly, I imagined it must be both. What a difference this was from the northern islands. We appreciated stories of the royal family up there, but we hardly reacted to anything with this much energy. Maybe the cold weather mellowed us out.
“You may want to get off now, while their attention is riveted to the prince,” said one of the guards behind me.
It was true. There wasn’t one person looking this way. I hurried down the plank, but could already feel the attention shift on me after Prince Matthias hoisted himself up into the carriage. I kept my eyes on the path ahead until I saw the prince’s hand. The prince and his advances were nothing compared to a thunderous horde of people, so I took it and settled into the seat beside him.
Alyss and Grix were next. He led her down, eyes narrowed protectively while she kept her head bent, every now and then glancing up at the people with wide, owl eyes. Grix helped her inside, and then slammed the door shut as he joined the other guards, who would accompany us on horseback.
“Why are there so many?” Alyss asked as the carriage jolted forward.
“And why are they all screaming?” I added.
Prince Matthias shrugged. “It’s always been like that here, though I can say the attendance of girls peaked when my brother and I turned sixteen.”
“So they aren’t mad?” Alyss asked, voicing one of my own questions.
“Of course not. Why should they be?” the prince asked.
I was tempted to spew out a few protests against the castes, but I bit my tongue. This might not be the best time.
The palace neared quickly, and at close range, it was beautiful. The color of the stone was the same color as the sand on the beach that stretched beyond it. Neatly trimmed green grass and evergreen bushes stood out against its grandeur. Graveled walkways crisscrossed over the grounds and several elegant fountains were lined up in front of the castle. Under each of the tall stained glass windows, a blue and silver flag whipped in the wind.
More guards and servants waited for us by the tall, open doors, most of them smiling and yet, others with faces of stone. And standing in front of them, ready to greet us on the bottom step, was the most stony-faced of them all. King Giddon.
As soon as the carriage lurched to a stop, a footman opened the door. “Wait here,” the prince instructed quietly before he stepped out.
He walked up to his father and bowed low. The king let him stay that way for a while before he allowed him to stand back up with a few quiet words. I couldn’t hear anything they were saying, but I could see their mouths moving, and after a while, the corners of the king’s mouth lifted slightly.
I nearly jumped when King Giddon gestured in my direction, his eyes squinting as he took me in. Then, his smile grew bigger as he said something inaudible to Prince Matthias that made the prince look at his feet, the t
ips of his ears reddening. When the king started walking toward me, my heartbeat quickened. I’d heard tales of his bravery and his strength, but I’d never heard anything about his hospitality.
“You must be Ivy,” he said, stopping a few feet away, hand gripping his sword hilt.
“Yes, sir.” My eyes flickered to his hand as I tried to determine whether or not it was a threat.
He let his hand drop away from the sword and instead raised it toward the castle. “Come, let us walk inside together. There are many things we must discuss.”
As soon as I stepped down from the carriage, he pressed the palm of his hand into my back, pushing me forward and up the stairs at a clipped pace. The prince followed closely until we were inside, but Alyss, Grix, and Sir Lochlan fell behind.
The king led the way through the crowded corridor, which was so full of people that the black and white checkered tile was barely visible. Servants and guards stared at me as I trailed behind him.
When we turned a corner, the crowd finally started to thin. With one peek back, I saw that the prince was still following, his face revealing nothing about what was to come.
We’re very alike, you know, he’d said. In truth, no one could be more different from me than the prince. He was raised in a castle, has had servants going to and fro at his every beck and call since the day he was born. I was raised in an orphanage where I had to beg on the streets just to be able to eat.
As soon as we reached a single door with gold lining the edges, the king turned the knob and pushed it open to reveal an office with two plush chairs facing a desk peppered with papers, and behind the desk, a large tapestry of Erabyn. As soon as I—and a few moments later, the prince—stepped into the room, the king shut the door and turned the lock.
I bit my lip and circled around to the chair by the window, which overlooked the never-ending sea. Watching the waves lap at the shore calmed me considerably.
As Prince Matthias took a seat in the chair next to me, King Giddon strolled over and stood behind his desk. “You know why you’re here, don’t you?” he asked, placing his knuckles on the desktop as he watched me.
